Concealed Carry State Laws In Virginia

Concealed carry laws, or CCW’s, in Virginia refers to the legally issued permit which allows for the carrying of a handgun or other weapon in a concealed manner within any place open to the general public.

Not all weapons that fall under concealed carry state laws in Virginia are lethal, there are some states that regulate non-lethal items such a pepper spray that are carried over a set volume requiring the obtaining of a CCW permit. (In some states non-lethal items require a separate permit)

Every State's Concealed Carry Laws Are Unique In Virginia

While in Virginia there is no current federal law that specifically address the issuance of concealed carry permits for private citizens as each state is responsible for the control of concealed carry permits within its sovereign borders. All 50 states have passed laws allowing their respective residents to carry certain concealed firearms in public, either without a permit or after obtaining a permit from their local Sheriff’s office or Chief of police.

In all states and in Virginia the only federal law concerning CCW’s is the Peace Officer Safety Act of 2004, (H.R. 218) to lean about this and all other states Concealed Carry Laws see our database on our website US Precision Defense where we maintain a comprehensive listing of every States weapons laws.

Article 1, Section 13 of the Virginia State Constitutional Provision States: “That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.”

Virginia law does not require an individual to notify an officer that they have a Concealed Carry permit. However, Section 18.2-308.01, of the Code of Virginia, requires that to be in possession of the permit whenever one is carrying a concealed handgun and to display the permit and a government-issued photo-identification upon demand by a law-enforcement officer.

Open carry is permitted with the exception of "assault weapons" and shotguns with a 7+ round magazine in the cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, and Virginia Beach and in the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Henrico, Loudoun, or Prince William. These restrictions do not apply to valid concealed carry permit holders. For open carry in a vehicle, the firearm must be clearly visible.

Virginia has a “shall-issue” permitting system for residents who want to carry concealed firearms in public. This means that law enforcement officials must issue a permit to any resident who meets a basic set of requirements. The permit is good for five years, after which time it must be renewed.

Virginia law allows anyone who is 18 years old, and who may legally own a firearm to carry it openly. Virginians who are 21 or older and who qualify may obtain permits to carry a concealed weapon.

In Virginia, firearms can be carried openly on campus, with or without a permit, but an institution can prohibit open carrying in its buildings and dormitories.

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Virginia Resident Concealed Handgun Permits are issued by the circuit court of the county or city in which the applicant resides. In Virginia, as in many states, carrying a concealed weapon requires a permit, yet no permit is required to simply carry a gun in the open, a right reinforced by a state law that took effect July 1 2013. Be careful though, it is not so in the District and Maryland, unless you're a police or federal officer.

In general, one may openly carry a sidearm in plain sight in Virginia. The restrictions to openly carrying are divided into two broad categories, locations where one may not carry and persons who are not permitted to possess and/or transport a firearm.

Locations where firearms may not be carried include: Federal facilities, Federal agency lands, National Forests except where hunting is permitted, General Assembly buildings, Hog Island Wildlife Management Area, Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, Courthouses, Detention Facilities, K-12 school grounds, K-12 school buses, Property used exclusively for K-12 school sponsored functions, Air carrier airport terminals, Places of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held without good and sufficient reason.

The Second Amendment unequivocally protects the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, both for their own self-protection and for defense against the tyranny of an autocratic central government.

In Virginia there are at least six (6) firearms or firearm related companies in the state and they include: Accuracy International Of North America, F M F Atlantic Engineering Corp, Hawk Hill Custom, K&H Arms, Kriss Arms, and Richard's Custom Rifles.

Gun-related violent crime in Virginia has dropped steadily over the past six years as the sale of firearms has soared to a new record, according to an analysis of state crime data with state records of gun sales.

The total number of firearms purchased in Virginia increased 73 percent from 2006 to 2011. When state population increases are factored in, gun purchases per 100,000 Virginians rose 63 percent. But the total number of gun-related violent crimes fell 24 percent over that period, and when adjusted for population, gun-related offenses dropped more than 27 percent, from 79 crimes per 100,000 in 2006 to 57 crimes in 2011.

U.S. Precision Defense assumes no liability and is not responsible for the actions of its members or readers of this website. The materials provided here are the opinions of the authors, are intended solely for education purposes, and should not be relied on for legal or professional advice. Laws relating to firearms and the use of deadly force vary from state to state, and each individual is responsible for compliance with the laws of each jurisdiction. If legal or other professional advice is needed, consult a lawyer or other professionals. All materials on this website are copyrighted to U.S. Precision Defense and may not be republished without permission from U.S. Precision Defense.